Disease!
by Ramica
Summary: A five year old Rama has come down with a bad disease. Are Mike and Don up to the challenge of dealing with this before it gets worse. A short story. Part of the Rama series.


                                              Disease!

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Dis author's Note: Sorry everything else had a dis in it up to this point. This story takes place when Rama is five years old, the twins are only a few months old and Rama is feeling a little left out… the rest is just keeping things in character. 

The idea for this story came up when I was trying to convince some of my coworkers that I had eublepharis macularius and judging from some of their comments I realized those words sounded an awful lot like some foreign disease and thus this story was born. Oh and just for the record fans I REALLY do have it! Hope you enjoy. - Ramica.

Rama scowled ever since her twin cousins had been born a few months back all the adults seemed to have forgotten her.

Everyone talked about how cute and adorable the twins were; they weren't all that great but even her own father was head over shell crazy about the little ones. He even helped Aunty Karena with chasing after them during the day while Sensei Leonardo was busy.

Typical for turtle human hybrids the twins had started crawling a few days after they had been born and with two of them to watch out for Aunty Karena welcomed any help she could get.

Rama missed the time she used to have with Aunty Karena before the twins came along Karena would spend time helping her with reading and printing, now Aunty was too tired to do much with her.

Rama at first had done her absolute best to get Karena and Sensei to return the babies, she knew some gifts could be returned and it seemed like a great idea to her because the babies only cried and messed their diapers and they weren't much fun to play with.

It just weren't fair! The babies had just come and they were nuthin but trouble and no one punished them coz they were little sweet babies.

" Betcha I could vanish and no one would even know cept I not good enough to vanish like ninja spose ta," she muttered dejectedly to her stuffed Franklin toy. 

She flopped back on her bed pouting as she stared up at the ceiling feeling very much hard done by and unappreciated. She tried her best to think of a way to make the adults pay for all the attention they lavished on the twin pains!

A soft knock on the door roused her only slightly from her thoughts.

" Yeah" she said softly barely more then a whisper.

" Hey Rama you being lazy this morning. Your still in bed and it's after six" her dad peeked around the door before entering her bedroom he noted the sulky look on her face and came over perching at the foot of her bed.

" I'm not feelin good daddy," she moaned.

" Oh?" Mike arched an eye ridge at her " You look all right Rama. What's wrong?"

" My tummy kinda hurts" Rama stated simply in reply.

Mike nodded " Any thing else bugging you Rama?"

" No just not feelin good daddy" Rama repeated a little more firmly.

" Aw we all feel a little under the weather once in a while Rama but just to be on the safe side I better have Don check you out. If you are coming down with something serious it's better that we know about it before the twins catch it. Babies aren't as strong as we are when it comes to fighting off illness what makes us feel sick could hurt them."

Rama gave a sigh and rolled her eyes wearily. Mike detected both of them he knew Rama felt the twins got too much attention.

Hell the last month alone Rama had been a real hellion with bouts of the green-eyed monster better known as jealousy and Mike still wasn't to sure that she was over it yet. It was a hard change for Rama going from the only child to one of three children and the active babies demanded so much time from the adults leaving Rama with a lot less time. 

Mike wondered for a moment if Rama might only be playing sick to get attention then shrugged the idea off.

Rama was a fairly truthful child and she had, had her share of cold and flu bugs in the past. He would get Don to check her out just to be on the safe side.

" Well maybe you will feel a bit better after something to eat. I'll bring you in some toast and juice all right?" he offered.

Rama sat up " Can I have pancakes daddy?" She asked quickly.

" I know you like your pancakes Rama but I don't think they would be good on an unhappy tummy. You just rest up and if your stomach is still upset later I'll have Don give you a check up." Mike leaned over and gave her a kiss before leaving the room.

Rama watched her father go and giggled slightly after the door closed behind him.

Don came in to check her over after breakfast was over. Rama had been busy playing with some of her toys when she heard the knock and she jumped nimbly back into the bed.

" Come in."

" Hi there Ramiela your dad told me your not feeling too good today he wanted me to check you out just in case." Don gave her a comforting smile noticing the toys strewn about the floor out of the corner of his eye as he set down his bag, which had all he needed for a quick check up inside.

" Your dad told me that your stomach was bugging you. Are you having any trouble keeping breakfast down?"

" No I'm still a little hungry," Rama complained.

" Does it hurt in one place or is it just all over?"

" All over Uncle Donatello."

 " Any other aches or pains, do you feel tired or anything?" Don asked.

 " My head hurts a bit but I don't feel tired" Rama stated.

 Don nodded his head and pulled out a tongue depressor and a small penlight from his bag " Open your mouth for me and say ah." 

Rama complied willingly allowing Don to peer down her throat. He then rested his hands gently on either side of her neck and got her to turn her head from side to side before nodding again " Hmm."

He then flashed the penlight into her eyes, listened to her heartbeat and checked her pulse.

" All right Rama I want to take your temperature you know the drill." Don popped the thermometer into her mouth " keep it under your tongue and don't bite" he cautioned.

Rama nodded to show that she knew.

After a bit Don removed it and scowled slightly at the numbers.

" I want to check one more thing here Ramiela. I know that you have knowledge of your letters I want to see if you can tell me the letters I have written on these cards."

" Are they flashcards like Aunty Karena uses Uncle Don?" Rama inquired eagerly.

" Something like that. Now can you tell me what this letter is here?"

Rama scowled, as she looked at the card "I can't tell uncle Donatello its all fuzzy looking."

Don glanced at the card suspiciously " Really? Lets try another one." Don flipped to another card but Rama insisted that all of Don's cards were fuzzy looking.

" I guess I better get your dad in here so he knows what the verdict is" Don strolled to the bedroom door and called out for Mike.

" Well Don is it serious? Is my daughter going to live?" Mike asked playfully.

" Oh she is going to live I am sure about that much but I believe Mike that she might have the beginning stages of a disease known as eublepharis macularius it is something that is found in reptiles." 

" Oh gods Don that sounds horrible" Mike dropped all playfulness and became quickly serious at those dreaded sounding words.

" The only way I can be SURE is by doing a blood test" Don whispered the last bit in a very low voice, " And I know how Ramiela reacts to needles."

" Well I guess if we have to do it. Don this euble whatever, you called it, is it serious? Is it contagious?" Mike inquired nervously.

" It can be serious and contagious but it seems to be predominantly a disease which effects the very young. We adults won't have to worry about it but the babies I wouldn't want them catching it." Don admitted.

" Oh boy so we really have to do this then." Mike sighed as he walked over to Rama's bed " Rama babe, Donny wants to take a blood sample and do some test on it. It's the easiest way for him to find out if you are really sick or not and he is going have to give you a needle to do that." Mike explained carefully.

" NO WAY! I hates needles!" Rama screamed.

 " Yeah I know you do babe but Don needs to get a sample of your blood to see if you're really sick."

" I'm not sick! I'm not sick" Rama blurted out as she huddled in a far corner of the bed shaking her head vigorously.

" You are only saying that to get out of having the needle Rama and it isn't going to work."

" I'm not sick though daddy" Rama whimpered in a panicked sounding way.

" Ramiela I know how you hate needles and I wouldn't give you one for nothing but your temperature is down, you are finding normal looking letters to be blurry looking, you are complaining of stomach and headache and your pulse rate is up. Now something is WRONG inside of you and I do need to check out your blood because it can tell me some important things. You could have the early stages of a disease called eublepharis macularius" Don explained gently as he could.

Mike pulled his struggling daughter onto his lap and pinned her moves while holding out one arm for the needle.

" OW! It hurts!" Rama yelped.

" He hasn't even touched you yet Rama. Now cut it out it is only a pinprick after all," Mike declared as he held her tight to him. " Hurry it up Donny. Geesh!  You sure she is sick she's fighting like a wildcat to break loose here."

Rama tucked her face into her dad's plastron screaming and howling at the top of her lungs about how it hurt and she was dying.

Don finished the task as quick as he could " There it is all over with now Ramiela" he soothed.

" Look at that Don even gave you a Mickey Mouse band aid for your arm" Mike crowed trying to cheer Rama up. 

Rama turned sniffing as she saw her arm and the spot where her Uncle had stabbed her with the needle.

" Can I see Karena?" She whimpered.

" That isn't a good idea Ramiela. We don't want Karena around you for a bit until we are sure you don't have this disease and Leo better stay away from her to. Mike keep her in bed and only bland foods, lots to drink and don't let her get too active with that high pulse rate she has activity will only increase it and make things worse. Ninja lessons are out for today at least. She needs quiet and lots of rest." Don informed them both.

" All right Rama you heard doctor Don you are staying in bed today" Mike declared.

Rama frowned " But daddy!"

" Don't but daddy me. You want to get better don't you? Then you are going have to do as Don says. Come on now under the blankets and stay there Rama" Mike ordered firmly.

Rama pouted " All right" she grumped miserably crawling under the blankets.

Mike reached out and tousled her hair " That is my good girl. You will be just fine."

" Leave her alone for a bit Mike let her get some rest you can check on her in a bit. I really hope I'm wrong about this" Don muttered ruefully.

Rama watched them leave she picked up her toy Franklin she really didn't want to spend the day in bed. She hadn't been expecting a needle either and Uncle Donatello said she was REALLY sick with something that sounded just AWFUL!

She didn't feel that sick though, and she HAD only been joking about being sick but what if she really was sick with that awful horrible sounding sickness?

After laying in bed for what felt like FOREVER to the rambunctious turtle child Rama bounced out of bed and began to play with her toys.

" Ramiela you were told to stay in bed" an angry snapped order caused her to turn suddenly to see her Uncle Donatello standing in the doorway.

" But I'm not tired and I'm feelin much better honest!" Rama protested.

" You might be feeling better but you AREN'T you do have the early stages of eublepharis macularius so it is VERY important that you do as you are told before the disease gets worse. The best way is for you to get lots to drink and lots of rest."

" I don't wanna I'm not tired" Rama snapped.

" Ramiela you don't want to get the advanced stages of this disease it is very serious and debilitating disease. Come on back to bed and stay there bed rest is VERY important. If I have to I will place you in the infirmary to insure you obey" Don insisted firmly but gently as he could.

" I don't likes the infirmry Uncle Donatello" Rama whimpered. She knew from past experiences when she was really super sick she had to stay in the infirmary and the fact that Don was threatening to put her there meant she HAD to be worse off then she thought.

" Then I trust you to stay in your bed and do as you are told so this disease doesn't get worse or spreads to the twins" Don declared eyeing her suspiciously.

Rama sighed wearily and climbed back into her bed.

" That is better Ramiela. With any luck you do EXACTLY what you are told and it will be gone in about two or three days." Don soothed but Rama heard him whisper very softly  " I hope."

" I'm really that sick Uncle Donatello?" She asked in a small voice.

" I'm afraid so Ramiela but you'll be better in no time as long as you follow orders and your dad and I will be taking extra precautions to insure this doesn't spread." Don informed her in his quiet serious tone.

" Okay" Rama whispered. She watched her Uncle leave suddenly feeling just a little scared because she knew Uncle Donatello was very smart he knew just about everything and if he was all this worried about her then it had to be true!

She still didn't really FEEL sick though.

She cuddled her Franklin close " I wants to play and I don'ts wants to be in bed. I was only joking. Now I really sick and I might have to go to the infirmry" she shuddered.

This day wasn't getting any better for her and it wasn't going quite the way that she had thought it would.

She tried once in a while to get out of bed to play but daddy and Uncle Donatello seemed to catch her scolding her firmly each and every time the last time they had caught her Donatello had told her the next time she was caught disobeying orders she would absolutely HAVE to go to the infirmary until he could release her as being healthy.

Rama laid in her bed unwilling to get out because she did not want to end up in the infirmary.

Mike came in just before lunchtime with some juice for her and saw Rama sitting in her bed crying. He sat down on the bed pulling her gently into his arms hugging her close.

" Not much fun being sick is it baby?"

" I don't feel sick though daddy. I wants to play and have fun. I don't wants to be in bed. I'm hungry not thirsty. I was just joking bout being sick. I didn't mean it" Rama confessed tearfully.

" Ramiela are you telling me that you lied to me and to Don?" Mike asked his tone both shocked and hurt.

" No lie! It was a joke daddy" Rama insisted.

" Being sick is NOTHING to joke about Rama. Don't you remember the story of the boy who cried wolf? He thought it was a big joke and lots of fun to cry wolf but when a wolf really came no one believed him and so they didn't come to help him.

You joke about being sick and no one will believe you when you really are.

Besides I knew you were joking Rama you see you act a lot different when your really sick and sometimes even the day before you get sick your not quite yourself and I know what those differences are love. Why did you try joking about being sick in the first place?"

" Everyone nice to me when I sick daddy" Rama sniffed slightly.

" Oh I get it now. You did it for the attention. You are still feeling a little lost and out of place with your cousins aren't you?"

Rama shrugged " Sort of."

" We have told you before Rama that there is always room in our family for more and none of us will ever forget you because we love you very much and we care about you. It's just the babies need a little more care and attention then you need. With Leo and Karena having twins well they can be a handful for just Karena to handle when Leo is busy. You could help Karena with the babies and spend time with her at the same time and you know I bet Karena would like a break from the little ones once in a while I'll see if I can convince her to let me watch them for a bit so she can spend some time with you. Karena has here own children to love now but that doesn't mean she loves you any less Rama." Mike told her tenderly " You will always be the first child. And that makes you all the more special to all of us."

Rama gave a small smile at her daddy " I really sick though daddy, Uncle Donatello say so. He say I gots a bad sickness that's gonna get worse but I still don't feel sick."

" That is because you AREN'T sick Rama. I told Don to check you out and if he thought you were faking it then I wanted him to help pull a joke on you! He agreed to it."

" But daddy what bout the fuzzy letters and the needle" Rama protested.

" The fuzzy letters Don made special just for this he made them look like that on purpose. Sheer genius on his part. As for the needle Rama you didn't get one you just THOUGHT you did. You were kicking and screaming up such a storm and not even watching what we were doing. The band aid on your arm is just for show take it off and look at your arm there is not a single mark on your skin under it."

Rama curiously obeyed pulling off the band-aid she shook her head after taking a good long look at her arm " Uncle Donatello said I had some bad sounding illness though."

" Another bit of genius on Don's part. All animals and plants have a scientific name and a common name most people only go by common names trust Donny though to know the scientific names for a lot of different things. Eublepharis macularius is the scientific name for a leopard gecko. Don said it always sounded a bit like a strange disease to him. You my Rama llama ding dong happen to be a turtle and you have no spots on you and you don't even own a pet gecko so tell me how can you have it?"

" DADDY!" Rama realized suddenly how they had tricked her and she was not amused at all she placed her arms on her waist and scowled angrily at her father " You tricked me!" she fumed.

" Yeah so what of it? YOU wanted to trick me Rama. I just sort of turned your own joke back on you.

Listen you happen to be a regular chip off of my shell you are so much like me my little Rama darling that I expect you to play tricks and jokes but you have to remember that when you try to trick me that I've been doing it a lot longer then you and you will have to think pretty long and hard to find something that I haven't pulled off on Splinter or one of my brothers at one point or other. In other words you have to work mighty hard to get the better of me my child" Mike explained gently smiling at her.

" I won't joke about being sick no more daddy but am I in trouble for it?"

" Not this time Rama" Mike reached out tickling her under the shell causing her to laugh " Just keep in mind you can't fool your daddy. Come on my little eublepharis macularius I'll make you some pancakes."

" I'm a turtle not a spotted gecko" Rama corrected quickly laughing joyfully as she climbed on her dad's carapace glad she wasn't really sick " I loves you daddy."

" I love you too Rama" Mike replied smiling. He kind of liked the idea of Rama being into joking and trying to pull off the same sort of stunts that he had pulled as a child it would help keep the family on their toes after all.

Such a pity that a lot of those jokes just wouldn't work on him as they had on Splinter. It was just Rama's luck that she had to turn out too much like her daddy.

The End


End file.
